In May 2009, we moved from FL to Michigan and in with my parents. For the longest time, I went to bed with my then 4yo. Then I started having him to go to bed on his own. For a while it worked out really well.
One night, he told me he was scared and said, "mama tec me"
"tec you? what do you mean?"
"i'm scared, tec me"
"oh, you mean protect you." So I laid down with him til he fell asleep. This went on for a while, but then going to bed at 8:00 wasn't exactly my idea of life.
So,w e talked about how he could go to bed on his own and I thought of making him a blanket. He decided to call it his "tec me" blanket. My husband, Eric, had bought me a sewing machine a couple years ago as a Mother's Day gift (or maybe it was out of a refund, not sure). But I hadn't gotten much use out of it, in fact, not at all.
So we went to JoAnn's and I let him pick out some fun fabric. He loves animals and the zoo, so he picked out giraffe, jaguar, tiger and zebra prints. I got the pieces cut out right away, then sewn together, then it just sat for the longest time. I just didn't have time, energy or money to get the backing and batting to finish. Then I just finally decided to get it done (along with a smaller quilt for Henry).
Just before school started (as in ,like two days), I finished the quilt and he's been sleeping with it ever since. I quickly made a quilt for my sister's youngest. When you know what you're doing, the process goes so much faster. I was really enjoyign this. My MD gift from 3 years ago was finally paying off.
I posted my process on a message board I'm on and immediate got a request....and to be paid. Then another request came on Facebook. Then another. Then the original FB request added a second quilt. Then a request for three more.
As of today, September 22, I've made a total of 7 quilts. Five of them since September 1. I'm in the midst of #8 right now. I have 7 more on order.
I've spent the last 18 months unemployed, much to the dismay of my husband, family, and friends. I finally found soemthign I'm really good at.
I don't want to do the big fancy quilts for beds or with actual quilting stitching. I happen to REALLY REALLY REALLY like doing kid-sized quilts than can easily go from the bed to the car to a play room.
Being back in a wintery state, I like that my kids can have a blanket in the car that won't interfere with their car seats and that isn't too bulky that it can't go in the store with us.
I'll be making the boys each another blanket for such purposes since they like their bed blankets.
Right now I'm set to open my etsy.com Tec Me Quilts shop on October 1. I already have a few planned out in my head and as soon as I get the 7 done that are on order....I'll start building an inventory.
I also shop at Country Stitches (East Lansing), Kean's (Mason), and Hobby Lobby for ideas and fabrics.
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